Law and Order: SVU star Christopher Meloni will be playing a major, secret role in Zack Snyder's new Superman movie. While speculation is already focused on Lex Luthor or The Daily Planet's Perry White, it might be someone else entirely.

The Dark Knight Rises is building a familiar set for one of Bruce Wayne's most iconic scenes.

Simon Pegg explains where he wants Scotty to go in Star Trek 2, while Charlie Day discusses Pacific Rim.

James Cameron is definitely headed down into the Mariana Trench, but will he be filming part of Avatar 2 while he's down there?

A Doctor Who writer explains why we still don't know anything about his upcoming episode!

Plus new videos and images for Cowboys & Aliens, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, The Hobbit, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, Torchwood: Miracle Day, and True Blood!

Spoilers ahead...

Top image from Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

The Dark Knight Rises

The set photos reveal a graveyard is being built at Wollaton Hall, which is reportedly being used for the exterior shots of the now rebuilt Wayne Manor. It's possible that this means the movies will finally be doing the iconic scene from both the comics and the animated series, in which Bruce Wayne visits his parents' graves. [Batman-News.com]

Man of Steel

Law & Order: SVU and Oz star Christopher Meloni has reportedly been cast in a major, secret role. While speculation has centered on Perry White and Lex Luthor, Meloni himself reportedly revealed he is playing a general in the movie. Meloni also said he starts filming in August and that he'll be involved in shooting over the course of five months, which will include work in Chicago, Vancouver, and Edwards Air Force Base.

As for who Meloni is playing, the obvious character would be Lois Lane's father, General Sam Lane, who has been a major player in recent comics storylines and has been previously rumored for a role in this movie. Of course, whether Christopher Meloni could really convincingly play Amy Adams's father, considering there's only a thirteen-year age difference, is an open question. (And before anyone says anything, yes, I am aware that would hardly be the most ludicrous age difference in Hollywood history.) Anyway, Sam Lane is probably still the top candidate, although Wade Eiling - or a completely new character - is also a legitimate possibility. [Vulture]

A resident of Naperville, Illinois spotted Russell Crowe at a Whole Foods - and Crowe later tweeted indirect confirmation that that's where he is - which would strongly suggest that he is indeed playing Jor-El, as Naperville is one of the movie's initial filming locations. [On Location Vacations]

Meanwhile, a man who applied to be an extra on Man of Steel says he visited the upcoming shooting location of Plano, Illinois. He describes it as a "Norman Rockwell type small town" that is "perfect for Smallville." He says he spoke to a cop who told him various temporary structures were being built for the movie - you can see these in the set photos on the left - and that Plano would have about fifteen minutes of screen time. [Comic Book Movie]

Avatar 2 & 3

James Cameron outlined his plans to visit the Mariana Trench, the ocean's deepest section:

"Our goal is to be on the bottom in less than an hour so that we can spend six or seven hours on the bottom doing science, taking images, taking core samples, discovering new species."

While Cameron certainly suggests the primary functions of the mission are scientific and documentarian, rumors persist that some of the footage will be incorporated into the sequels. Obviously, this doesn't address that either way, but at least we now know Cameron is definitely planning to head down there, and we know a little more of what exactly he plans to do while he's in the trench. [Mother Nature Network]

Star Trek 2

Simon Pegg says he hopes to play Scotty somewhat more seriously than he did in the first film:

When I took the role of Scotty, I never looked at him as a comic character as such. He has always been a whimsical character, because of his background and is almost like an ethnic minority on board ship. There is something lyrical and fanciful about him. There is something about him that has whimsy, they all do at times even Spock. But I always thought that was what was in the script, he was marooned on that planet for a long time and he got on the ship and everything was kicking off and his reaction was almost like our reaction to it all. So yeah I absolutely hope so. I don't think Scotty is a comic character at all. In this Star Trek he was thrust into everything, and he learned all this stuff about his own discoveries. He was brought on board the ship where everything was crazy and for him, that was a comic situation. I would like to hope that in future adventures he can find the sort of depth and seriousness that James Doohan had to tackle in the series.

Cowboys & Aliens

Here's a new trailer.

Pacific Rim

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Charlie Day clarified that he isn't officially signed on for Guillermo del Toro's movie yet, but he's optimistic:

I'm not officially signed on so I've been told to dodge around answering questions, but I've definitely been having conversations with them about it. I'd hate to say I'd like to sign on because I don't want them to low-ball me [laughs] but hopefully that'll all work out.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

At a certain point Shia shows up to my secret operation, I was on a classified mission, working with the Autobots on some top secret stuff. He shows up to my job randomly and asks me to come back and join in on this mission to defeat the Decepticons. I was a little reluctant but then I decided I've got a problem with these Decepticons and what they did to my friends too. Then, I'M BACK, Epps is back.

The Hobbit

Here's the cover to Empire Magazine's big preview, which includes our first really good look at the new, younger Gandalf. [Empire Online]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Here are two more TV spots.

And here's a behind-the-scenes featurette.

Logan's Run

Director Nicolas Winding Refn and star Ryan Gosling discussed their long-gestating plans to make a new adaptation of William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson's 1967 novel. Refn explains that they are currently figuring out how to translate the original novel's concept so that they still seem new and futuristic:

"Logan's Run is dated in the sense that everything came true. They've been trying to make it for years with the notion of just trying to remake the original movie. And it has to be rethought. The premise of a society that decides to commit suicide is unique, and I think that's why everyone still thinks it could work. We're still in the stage of trying to figure out the rules of the road"

Ryan Gosling added:

"We'll put together a team of futurists and artists and we'll dream on this world. Joel [Silver] said the other night, 'Take your time and make it good. It doesn't have to be ready at any point.'"

Snow White and the Huntsman

Model Lily Cole, who recently appeared in a non-speaking role as the Siren in Doctor Who's "The Curse of the Black Spot", will reportedly play "a girl named Greta", while Sam Spruell will reportedly play the Queen's murderous henchman Finn. [Variety]

Oz the Great and Powerful

Just in case anyone was concerned Sam Raimi's Wizard of Oz prequel wouldn't be completely nightmare-inducing, the movie is apparently looking to cast "trained clowns, 18 and older" as extras. Yeah...that ought to bring on the night terrors quite nicely. [ComingSoon.net]

Spy Kids: All The Time in the World

Here are some high-resolution new character posters.

For those wondering why the movie is said to be "in 4D", that's because Robert Rodriguez is adding smell into the equation. (Which, if we're being picky, isn't technically a dimension, but whatever, it's just Spy Kids) The film is shot in Aromascope, and here's the gloriously self-serious press release explaining it:

This innovative and celebrated franchise will now be the first to introduce audiences to the new adventure of 4D where they will have 8 special opportunities throughout the movie to access the action interactively through smell. The introduction of scent in the movie going experience adds to the outrageous fun by enhancing the action, adventure and comedy to take you where no film has gone before.

R.I.P.D.

The zombie cop movie starring Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges has reportedly set a June 28, 2013 release date. [Deadline]

The Seventh Son

The movie about witch-fighting exorcists in the 1700s has Jeff Bridges on board as the aging exorcist and Julianne Moore as the main witch, but it just can't hold onto a young male lead. Alex Pettyfer was originally attached, but then he dropped out and was replaced by Pirates of the Caribbean 4's Sam Claflin, who himself has now left the production. The role of young, witch-fighting exorcist has now reportedly gone to Ben Barnes, who played the titular role in the recent Prince Caspian adaptation. [Variety]

Doctor Who

Tom MacRae, who wrote the somewhat underrated series two Cybermen two-parter, revealed some cryptic details about his latest contribution, episode ten of the current series:

I've written episode 10 which I think is my most accomplished piece of plotting ever. What's interesting is that the requirements of the script meant that for various reasons nothing has gone out about it at all. We didn't do much location filming, and the way the guest characters work is unusual, so no one knows anything about my episode. There's speculation about it which is wrong - some bright spark has put the title of the episode on IMDB as The Green Anchor - it has never been called that! I'm amazed we've kept it this secret because there's a really big surprise in it. All I will say is that it's an unusual episode and it's really great.

Torchwood: Miracle Day

Bill Pullman says the main things that attracted him to the role were the opportunity to play a character unlike any he had played before and the show's Welsh background, which he was not previously aware of but soon found apparent in the script. [Wales Online]

True Blood

Here are some EW covers inspired by the iconic painting American Gothic. In the online preview, Alexander Skarsgard reveals nothing Eric does this year will top his sex scenes last season:

"I did some crazy stuff last year. I almost had sex with a Greek man and I was covered in his goo. Everything from here on is pretty childish. Everything's quite innocent."

Powers

Comics creator Brian Michael Bendis has revealed that Carly Foulkes - best known as the woman in all those T-Mobile ads - will be playing Retro Girl. [ComingSoon.net]

Falling Skies

Moon Bloodgood explains how her role as Dr. Anna Glass is a departure from previous, more action-oriented roles:

I guess when you're playing someone who is a doctor, a pediatrician, there is something that instinctively... Yeah, you have to be more maternal. You have to approach it from a very mothering kind of state of mind. Because there's not as much physicality and it's not a sexualized character, I feel like it was inherently easier for me to be more maternal and more emotional. When you're written that way, it's much easier to get into that character and also, I did my own research. I tried to kind of tap into that woman in me that is mothering.